Simon Cowell and Jay Leno by Paul Drinkwater/NBC
We don't mean to be rude, but Simon Cowell got it wrong when he claimed on The Tonight Show that he wasn't at the cover shoot for the Jan. 14 issue of TV Guide. While it's true that Cowell had the flu on the day the magazine was scheduled to snap him and his American Idol cohorts, we canceled the shoot and instead used an outtake from our November 2006 session. And make no mistake: Simon was there. — Bruce Fretts
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Paula Abdul by Sam Jones/Fox
Kicking off the American Idol season with a surprise, Paula Abdul has released a brand new single, "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow." According to an exclusive on — where else? — Ryan Seacrest's show on KIISFM.com, the former pop princess and current Idol co-host has ended her 10 year-plus leave of absence from making music to drop the new track.Last week, Michael Ausiello reported that Paula was going to take the stage at this year's Superbowl halftime show. Now we know that at least she's got some fresh material, with a little producing help from her main dawg Randy Jackson ... Not that we'd ever scoff at reprises of 'Coldhearted' or 'Forever Your Girl,' we're just glad that, even for a pop icon with a storied past (let's just leave Corey out of this one), there's still the promise of a new day. What's your take? Are you digging the new song? Or is it over-produced, like some other recent comeback tracks that let's just say gave us less, not more? — Anna DimondRelate...
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Chris Daughtry's not so much backpedaling as soft-pedaling the comments he's come under fire for making about American Idol. In a recent Rolling Stone interview, the rocker said the show was in a state of "decline," discussed the "stigma" attached to AI alums, and argued that the show needs a format overhaul in order to find "true artists." Responding to some public heat in his blog on Monday, he opened by saying, "It's so sad that when you're asked something and you answer honestly... you're made out to be the bad guy." Daughtry continued, "If you heard the whole conversation [with Rolling Stone], you would've heard all the good things I said about the show as well."This is probably true, and shows that he's a well-meaning guy frustrated with how his words were interpreted. But although Daughtry went on to defend other comments with his nice-guy attitude, we long for a more badass 'tude. In response to his comment that singing's not enough to find "true artists," for example, and h...
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Katharine McPhee and Chris Daughtry courtesy Fox
I have never seen any show transcend the boundaries of age, race, religion, weight and politics as beautifully as American Idol has in the past six years. I can discuss it with my husband's 70-year-old uncle (who thinks Sanjaya should be shot), my cabdriver (who cries when he hears Kat McPhee), my gynecologist (who thinks Paula's hysterical... in a bad way), and my 6- and 4-year-old cousins, who think the sun rises and sets with Simon Cowell. That's right, you heard me, they like Simon (not to mention all the cute boys on the show). So I asked some of my peeps what they thought were some of the best moments from American Idol, and this is what we came up with. — Erin FoxKelly Clarkson, "Stuff Like That There" | Watch on YouTubeThis was not only the moment I knew Kelly would win the first Idol title, it was the moment I knew she could literally sing anything.Fantasia Barrino, "Summertime" | Watch on YouTube I don't think there was a dry eye in America after this stunning, gooseb...
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Chris Daughtry by Chris Walter/WireImage.com
Former American Idol star Chris Daughtry is getting flak for telling Rolling Stone that the show is in "decline." According to the mag's website, a producer for AI called in to explain that Daughtry's comment was "taken out of context" or even — wait for it — "misquoted."That was a big leap of faith to smooth things over, given that the mag has the interview transcript — and there was no doubt that the rocker was hating on his former launch pad. Daughtry knew enough to acknowledge that his comments would likely "be used against [him]," but that didn't stop him from adding that Idol is "definitely lacking some credibility at this point."Is it ever a good time to admit your true feelings about your former home? Or was Daughtry way out of line? Because no matter how "over it" he might be, Daughtry should know that with Idol, it's never over. — Anna DimondUse our Online Video Guide to cue up Daughtry music videos.POLLS: Weigh in on this season's wacky Idol wannabes, ...
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Alexis Cohen by Michael Becker / FOX
Remember the gal Simon likened to Willem Dafoe? Well, she has her regrets after behaving the way she did at American Idol's Philadelphia auditions, which aired Tuesday night. "I wish I was a little more subdued," Alexis Cohen today admitted on Fox News' Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, referring to how she flipped off the judges. Alexis, though, defends her outrage at being ousted so early on by saying, "I had to take one for the team!" (This is me going: "What team?")And how does Alexis plan to use her quickly tick-tocking 15 minutes of Idol-season fame? Hoping she can somehow milk some bucks from her brazenness, the veterinarian-in-training says, "I would love to put myself through medical school." — Matt MitovichPOLLS: Weigh in on this season's wacky Idol wannabes, the judges' new (?) attitudes and Randy's new look.
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